Monday, July 12, 2010

Hot Town, Summer in the Bamberg

Anybody who talked to me in the months of March through June more than likely had to sit through a hissy fit about the weather. It was rainy, it was freezing, it was June and I had to wear a coat. In June.

The good news: it's not cold anymore! Normal summertime temperatures and trips to the pool abound.
The bad news: Germany happens to be a part of that alternate universe in which my hero and yours Willis Haviland Carrier fell into a well as a child and never invented air conditioning. Seriously, there is one store downtown that has sweet, cold air blowing out of its vents and that is IT. My room has been downgraded to a cave, a cave where you can find me lying in my bed (on top of the covers, of course) wondering exactly how much sweat my body can produce.

Melodramatic, yeah, but I am a modern lady used to the ways of the future! Anyway, finals are upon me these days meaning I have an excuse to not go outside during the day.

In other news, Taylor, (German) Sebastian and Aleks visited The Burg last week, here's some pictures of that!

Obligatory


Me in an abandoned train in an abandoned train station!

Somehow, Aleks managed to get his hands on the coolest possible vehicle for this excursion, a fact that I am eternally grateful for.

And finally, proof that this is a non-fiction blog and everything I whine about is true:



Saturday, July 3, 2010

SCHLAAAND

I would just like to take a minute to set to paper (or whatever) my unending appreciation of being in Germany during the World Cup. From where I am sitting, I can hear two distinct chants, several car horns, bike bells, and whistles. Also a vuvuzela. Before coming here, I never experienced an entire country coming together for a sport like I have here. What makes it extra-special is the fact that Germans are generally fairly nationalism-shy, so when they bust out the flags and face paint you know it's serious. For those of you who don't follow the World Cup (although I'd be shocked if there's anyone like that reading this), Germany just beat Argentina, meaning we're in the semi-finals! 4-0!

While 2006 found me watching the games in Vietnamese restaurants and on Neil's TV, there are massive public viewings EVERYWHERE here. I watched this particular game at COE (where I live), but the main one is downtown in Maxilimilianplatz. Hundreds of people come out in their best flag-togas and Germany wigs to drink gallons upon gallons of beer and cheer their team (remotely) to victory. And honestly? I love it. I love riding my bike down the street, high-fiving strangers and screaming at the passing cars. I love knowing that everyone around me is in a good mood. I love it all, and on Wednesday you will find me in the maddening crowd cheering my heart out. My life is too good.